


Sins of the Father

by NCIS_fanfiction_Addict



Category: Criminal Minds, NCIS
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-09
Updated: 2014-10-24
Packaged: 2018-01-24 03:17:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1589696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NCIS_fanfiction_Addict/pseuds/NCIS_fanfiction_Addict
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"As parent's, we do what we feel is best for our children, and most of the time our children grow to be successful adults, and life moves on. Sometimes though, despite our best intentions, life changes irrevocably in a single moment. You still have a chance to keep that from happening Tony, I don't." Can the combined efforts of the MCRT and the BAU end this and save Tony from himself in the process?<br/>My very first Criminal Minds/NCIS crossover!!!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Annaleigh

**Author's Note:**

> As always, I don’t own NCIS, or Criminal Minds. I’m simply playing in the sandbox, and I promise I will play as nicely as possibly with the other kids and return them as I found them. (They might be a little worse for wear...)
> 
> I hope you all enjoy my first NCIS/Criminal Minds crossover!
> 
> All mistakes are my own, if you are interested in being a beta please let me know! I am in desperate need for another set of eyes and someone to keep me on a deadline ;)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony surged to his feet in anger, glaring down at Ducky. “Damn it Ducky, it’s not like that and you know it! It’s not about me!” He pointed angrily down the hallway toward Annaleigh’s room. “It’s about that little girl in there, and me making damn sure I don’t fail her again!” Tony snapped vehemently.

* * * * *

Tony smiled and closed the front door as quietly as possible behind him, before just as quietly laying his backpack, wallet, and keys on the foyer table beside his gun safe. He shucked his jacket off, slid out of his shoulder holster, and quickly secured both his service weapons, his badge, and his credentials in the gun safe and scrambled the lock.

With all that taken care of, he dropped down on all fours and carefully crept through the living room and down the short hallway like a large cat stalking its prey. He couldn’t quite keep the smile from his face as two soft voices came from behind the cracked door in front of him. He moved forward another few inches, and almost swore when he put all of his weight onto the one squeaky floorboard in the entire apartment.

He started counting as he heard a surprised squeak from inside the room. _3… 2… 1…_

“DADDY!” He barely had time to sit back on his heels and catch the small pink blur that had hurdled itself into his arms

“Hey Sweetie,” he whispered, closing his eyes, resting his cheek against her curly hair, and simply basking in her innocent presence in his arms. “I’ve missed you so much, Leigh-bear.”

“I mist you tew, Daddy.” Annaleigh whispered, popping her thumb into her mouth and snuggling into him.

She was asleep on his shoulder before he had even hauled himself to his feet. He chuckled and took the few short steps left into her room, and smiled at Ducky, who was perched on the edge of the twin sized bed with a leather bound collection of fairytales on his lap. Ducky pulled the covers back, so Tony could tuck her into bed, and he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

Together, the two men left Annaleigh’s room, Ducky pausing to flip the light switch while Tony crouched and turned on her night light beside the door.

“Thanks for picking her up for me the past few nights and staying with her, Duck. Don’t know what I’d do without you,” Tony said gratefully as he flopped down onto the couch.

Ducky waved his hand dismissively as he sat down on the recliner with much more grace than Tony had. “It’s nothing, m’boy. I do so enjoy the time I get to spend with our young Annaleigh.” He rumbled, his familiar Scottish brogue washing over Tony and helping him relax from his impossibly long week. He closed his eyes with a relieved sigh and dropped his head back against the couch cushions. “Though, I still think it would be incredibly wise to tell at least Jethro about her existence, especially now that the two of you have been exploring the potential of your relationship outside of NCIS.” Ducky muttered, peering at him over the tops of his glassed with a reproving frown.

Tony flung his forearm over his eyes and groaned. “Ducky…” he growled warningly.

“I won’t always be around to assist you with her care, Anthony. You know that.”

Tony’s heart clenched painfully the way it always did when Ducky brought up and played his two biggest fears, he cracked an eye to look at the Ducky when the older man just sighed. “We’ve already had this conversation countless times. My professional and personal lives have nothing to do with each other, and I want to keep it that way. I lost Annaleigh’s mom because I didn’t figure that out sooner. I won’t risk Annie like that too. The enemies that I’ve made at NCIS have a much farther reach than the ones I had in Baltimore.”

Ducky raised an eyebrow, and folded his fingers together. “And your relationship with Jethro isn’t mixing your personal and professional lives?”

“Not the same thing,” Tony grunted.

Ducky rolled his eyes and changed tact, “My dear boy you cannot possibly still think that losing Emily was in any way your fault?” Tony raised an eyebrow in return and shrugged helplessly.

“Sure seems that way to me, Duck! If I hadn’t of driven the cruiser home that night, Emmy would still be alive, Annie would still have her mom, I wouldn’t be a single dad struggling to make things work so I can still work the job I love and raise my daughter, and we wouldn’t be having this conversation!”

Tony sighed in frustration, not with Ducky in particular, but with his whole fucked up double life. Hell, Ducky probably wouldn’t even know about Annaleigh if the live-in Nanny he had hired when he moved to DC hadn’t quit within his first month at NCIS because she couldn’t handle his erratic and unpredictable work schedule. He, Gibbs, and Vivian had been in the middle of a break in their case, when the Nanny had called him at 23:45 and quit. Ducky had been on his way out for the weekend, when Tony had asked for his help with a family emergency. In typical Ducky fashion, the aging Scot had gone to Tony’s apartment and taken care of eight month old Annaleigh, going so far as taking two weeks of vacation time so the MCRT could finish up their case, without question. When things had finally calmed down and Tony had a day off they sat down in Tony’s living room with a bottle of scotch and Ducky got the whole sad story. He’d adopted Tony and Annie that day, and had kept the younger man’s secret ever since.

Ducky rubbed his temple and practically growled in frustration at Tony’s stubbornness. “You wouldn’t struggle so much if you let our _family_ in! Good God, dear boy, but your stubbornness astounds me. The people we work with are GOOD loyal people, that would do anything to help you if you’d only let them in! Abigail, Jethro, and Caitlyn would do anything to insure your happiness.” Ducky said firmly, his posture and tone similar to what he used when scolding Annaleigh.

Tony surged to his feet in anger, glaring down at Ducky. “Damn it Ducky, it’s not like that and you know it! It’s not about me!” He pointed angrily down the hallway toward Annaleigh’s room. “It’s about that little girl in there, and me making damn sure I don’t fail her again!” Tony snapped vehemently.

Ducky merely stared back up at him, unfazed by Tony’s outburst. “Forgive me, but I’m afraid that tone and glare don’t work on me like they do your suspects.” He gave a theatrical sigh. “I’ve spent too many years as one of Jethro’s closest friends and colleagues, I suppose.” Ducky adjusted his glasses and looked up at him over the frame again. “Answer me this, honestly, and I swear I will not broach this subject again.”

Tony glared at him suspiciously for a moment and then nodded abruptly for him to continue. “Do you not feel as though you are already failing her?” Tony opened his mouth angrily, but Ducky held up a hand to silence him so he could continue. “By hiding her existence from the people that care about you, and who would in turn love her as deeply as I do, you are denying her, not to mention yourself, the family you both so desperately deserve.” Ducky stood and gathered his things. “Not to mention, you cannot hope for your relationship with Jethro to go any further when you have such a lack of trust in him,” He muttered as he rubbed Tony’s arm when he passed him. Tony flung himself back onto the couch and nodded, feeling much, much, older than he was.

“Damn it, Duck. I’ll think about it alright? No promises.” He groaned, running his fingers through his unruly hair.

The older man chuckled and patted Tony’s shoulder affectionately. “It’s a start, Anthony. That’s all I ask. Do remember that tomorrow is Saturday, and Mother is looking forward to seeing you and Annaleigh _both_ for dinner.”

Tony nodded. “Will do, Duck-man. See you tomorrow, thanks again.” Ducky tipped his hat to Tony, before opening the front door and letting himself out. The younger man sighed in relief when he heard the dead bolt slide into place.

He closed his eyes and leaned back in relief. After two days of working nonstop, not even leaving the office or stopping to call Annaleigh, Tony was short tempered, hungry, dirty, and just plain exhausted. After a few minutes of wondering if Ducky had left any dinner for him in the fridge, his exhaustion won out and Tony fell asleep on the couch without even taking his shoes off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo? Worth continuing? I tried to finish it before I posted it, but without any interest it's better off just staying in my head. I really hope you enjoyed it!!


	2. Missing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter BAU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I don’t own NCIS, or Criminal Minds. I’m simply playing in the sandbox, and I promise I will play as nicely as possibly with the other kids and return them as I found them. (They might be a little worse for wear...)
> 
> I hope you all enjoy my first NCIS/Criminal Minds crossover!
> 
> All mistakes are my own, if you are interested in being a beta please let me know! I am in desperate need for another set of eyes and someone to keep me on a deadline ;)

Chapter 2

Annaleigh Elizabeth DiNozzo crept into the living room, trying (and failing) valiantly to stifle her giggles when she saw her Daddy asleep on the couch with all his clothes and shoes on. The petite three year old slunk over to the couch until she was close enough to pounce. She wiggled her butt just like her daddy had taught her, and then she pounce, growling like a bear. Tony cracked his left eye open and snatched her out of the air, making her squeal with glee. The older DiNozzo flipped his daughter onto her back and tickled her mercilessly.

“Daddy!” She screeched, swatting at his hands. “Daddy, stop it!” Tony ceased his surprise tickle attack on her, laughing at the breathless giggles that escaped her.

“Morning Leigh-bear,” he said, lovingly nuzzling her cheek with his nose. “What do you want to do today?” Annaleigh squirmed off his lap to stand in front of him, little hands propped on equally little hips that were cocked in a decidedly sassy manner.

“You really don’t gotsta go to work today, Daddy?” She asked cautiously, raising her eyebrow and squinting in a frightening Ducky-like fashion. “Didja really get all them bad guys? Tony snorted in amusement and disbelief.

“Has Pops been using my cases as bed time stories again?” he grumbled incredulously, shaking his head. “Yes, we got the bad guys baby, and Daddy’s boss gave him the entire weekend off call, just so I could spend it with my Leigh-bear,” he finished enthusiastically, swooping Annaleigh into a tight hug. Annie giggle and hugged him back, giving him several sloppy kisses on the cheek as well.

“Well, I wanna go play at the park, ‘afore we go to dinner at Pops’ house!” she told him excitedly.

“You wish is my command, little lady! Let’s go get some breakfast, then we can hit the showers, get dressed, and then we can go to that little park over by Pops and Meme’s house.” Annaleigh squeaked excitedly and jumped off Tony’s lap, making a beeline for the kitchen.

“I want cheerios, Daddy-bear!” She shouted back over her shoulder. Tony shook his head with a quiet chuckle and stood to follow his daughter into the kitchen.

 

* * *

Several hours later, armed with an extra-large hazelnut coffee with two extra shots of expresso, Tony led Annaleigh by hand into the playground area of the park. Tony grinned as Annaleigh practically buzzed with excitement as she eyed the playground equipment several yards away, and he let go of her hand.

“You can go play Annie, just stay where I can see you, okay?” He gave her a gentle shove toward the playground. She nodded and he watched happily as she ran off to play.

The elder DiNozzo situated himself on a nearby bench and watched Annaleigh play for a few minutes. His thoughts began to wander and he found himself going over his conversation with Ducky again. Was he really doing Annaleigh more harm than good by keeping her life a secret from his team and Abby? He sighed and looked up at Annaleigh, who was waving at him from the top of a slide. He smiled broadly, and waved back, watching her slide down and then run around behind the jungle gym to do it again before returning to his thoughts.

Would he lose his relationship with Jethro once the older man discovered his secret? It was definitely a possibility, their profession demanded complete and absolute trust of one another and the thought scared him. He could handle not having a relationship with Jethro, but he couldn’t imagine not working with the man. He loved his job, and if he was completely honest with himself he loved Jethro. Sometime during the three years he’d worked at NCIS Gibbs had become an integral part of his life, one that he couldn’t live without. There was a chance Gibbs wouldn’t even want him at NCIS anymore, let alone on the MCRT. And then what about Kate and Abby? Would they hate him for lying to them for so long? They were like sisters to him. Kate still wasn’t a hundred percent sure of her place on the team. Finding out Tony lying to her could end up being the catalyst she needed to leave.

Tony sighed and put his head in his hands for a moment. There were so many variables and questions he needed answers to, and the only way he’d find out was by revealing his most closely guarded secret. Grumbling in irritation, Tony scrubbed his face with his hands, and looked up to scan the playground for Annaleigh.

His breath caught in his chest when he didn’t see her. Jumping to his feet, he ran over to the slide where he’d just seen her. “Annaleigh!” he shouted, running around the jungle gym. “Annaleigh Elizabeth, come out right now! This isn’t funny!” Heart pounding frantically, he thoroughly searched the playground.

She wasn’t there.

He pulled out his phone and called 911.

 

* * *

 

Jennifer Jareau snatched her blackberry from her hip as soon as she hung up her desk phone, already on her feet and heading for the door. She sent a mass text to the team telling them to meet her in the garage. Hotch met her at the elevator, a graver than usual expression on his face.

“Another kidnapping?” he questioned. JJ nodded, running her fingers through her hair and glancing down at her phone.

“Looks that way. I’ll brief everyone on the way, the park is only fifteen minutes from here.” Hotch nodded and tossed her a set of keys as they parted toward two SUV’s.

“His hunting zone is expanding, he’s starting to devolve,” Hotch said softly, shaking his head. JJ nodded again, biting her lip and waiting for the rest of the team.

Within five minutes, Hotch, Prentiss, and Rossi were packed into one SUV, and JJ, Morgan, and Reid were packed into the other. As they pulled out of the garage, Rossi rang JJ and put his phone on speaker before slipping it into the cradle.

“Fill us in JJ, what are we walking into?” Rossi rumbled, adjusting his seatbelt.

“The victim is Annaleigh DiNozzo, a three year old Caucasian female, abducted from the playground while her father sat on a bench fifty feet away. No one saw or heard anything, but local LEO’s were called in fifteen minutes ago. They were there in five, and as soon as they found the note they called us.” She recited, pressing down on the gas a little harder.

“Have they shown the note to the father yet?” Morgan asked solemnly.

“No, they are waiting for us and his supervisor to get there. The father is a federal agent, and from what the LEO I talked to said he’s pretty shaken up.”

“One of ours?” Rossi asked curiously.

“Dad’s a fed? That’s new.” Emily muttered. “Certainly lends toward the theory that he’s devolving. He’s getting bolder, stalking a fed is asking to get caught.”

“Maybe he wants to get caught,” Hotch mused, shaking his head slightly.

“He’s not one of ours, Dave. Anthony DiNozzo, NCIS. He’s been with them a little over three and a half years, he’s the senior field agent for the DC Major Crime Response Team,” JJ replied to Dave.

“Jesus Christ,” Dave muttered. “The scene is going to get ugly quickly if his supervisor gets there before we do.”

Hotch looked sideways at Dave, and asked warily, “Why do you say that?”

“His supervisor is Leroy Jethro Gibbs, we served together in Desert Storm. He’s a good friend.”

“I’ve worked a few cases with him,” Hotch said drily.

“What’s Gibbs got to do with this?” Morgan asked suddenly, wary of going toe-to-toe over jurisdiction with the gruff former Marine he’d met a few years prior.

“DiNozzo is Leroy’s SFA.” Rossi said grimly. “If you thought the man was a bear to work with before, just wait.” He ended the call and willed Hotch and JJ to drive a little faster.

“What’s the deal with this guy,” Emily asked softly, rereading the preliminary profile of their UNSUB.

“He’s a damn good field agent, with a great team, but he’s a self-proclaimed bastard that’s extremely protective of his people, who doesn’t appreciate sharing jurisdiction and particularly hates the FBI.” Hotch grumbled, making a sharp left.

“Most of the FBI, Aaron. We could use his team, so we need to play nice. Especially when it comes to their forensic analyst. She’s the absolute best in her field, and her computer hacking skills are almost on par with Penelope’s.” Rossi said thoughtfully. “The bureau has been trying to get her for the last six years, along with the CIA, Homeland, ATF, Interpol, and countless private security sectors. All the same people that have been trying to poach Garcia, want Scuito too.”

Emily cocked her head to the side. “Scuito? As in Abigail Scuito?”

“Yeah, you know her Prentiss?”

“Yes, I’m on a bowling team with her. If the father of our latest victim is the ‘Tony’ she’s always talking about, we’ve got our motive. If the note is legitimate, then it’s _definitely_ our UNSUB. Although, Abby never mentioned that Tony had a daughter,” Emily said quietly, chewing on the end of her pen.

“It is, I’m almost positive. That’s what Leroy calls his SFA.” Rossi supplied, grabbing onto the handle above the door as Hotch made another sharp left into the parking lot outside the playground. “What makes you think DiNozzo’s gay?”

“He’s at least bisexual,” Emily said, unbuckling her seat belt as Hotch parked haphazardly outside the police tape. “According to Abby, he’s been dating his boss for at least three months, possibly longer.”

Rossi groaned and rubbed his temples, a messy situation getting even messier. “Damn it,” he muttered, looking around the parking lot and seeing a familiar Challenger parked nearby. “We need to move it, he’s already here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! I am certainly amazed at the feedback I have already received for this story. Chapter two was almost written, so I decided to just pound it out and get on with it. Updates will probably be once a week from here on out. (Hopefully.) I really hope everyone enjoys this still! I am going to try keeping the chapters shorter, so updates come a little quicker. I know that's not going to make everyone happy (having shortish chapters), but I want to be able to update once/twice weekly and I feel this is this going to help me accomplish that.


	3. First Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Well,” Carissa stared, biting her lip to find the words. “Both of you are former Military, right? Marine Corps if I had to wager a guess. My husband is in the Corps, and there was just something about him that made me think he is or was in the military. He had red hair, high and tight, but looked like he’d missed a haircut. I didn’t see his face.”
> 
> Gibbs and Rossi nodded appreciatively. “Did you notice anything about his vehicle?” 
> 
> Carissa nodded again, a determined look on her face. “It was a black Ford explorer, and the first four of his license plate were A-C-F-8.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I don’t own NCIS, or Criminal Minds. I’m simply playing in the sandbox, and I promise I will play as nicely as possibly with the other kids and return them as I found them. (They might be a little worse for wear...)
> 
> I hope you all enjoy my first NCIS/Criminal Minds crossover!
> 
> All mistakes are my own, if you are interested in being a beta please let me know! I am in desperate need for another set of eyes and someone to keep me on a deadline ;)

Chapter 3 

After a frantic call from Tony, Gibbs has double-timed it to the park. He hadn’t been able to coax any information at all the almost hysterical man on the phone before Ducky was suddenly on the line, telling him to come to the park near his (Ducky’s) house and he’d explain.  
And explained he had. But Gibbs still wasn’t really any clearer about what had happened, and what was going on. Oh, he’d grasped that Tony’s daughter had been abducted, what he didn’t understand was why he didn’t know Tony had a daughter. His head was spinning, and hundreds of questions were flying in warp speed around his head. He looked over Ducky’s shoulder, not hearing a word the scot was saying, and stared at Tony. 

The younger man was leaning against the trunk of a police cruiser next to one of the local LEO’s, looking as broken and defeated as he’d ever seen him. Jethro knew that look, had worn it himself. He still saw it in the mirror every now and then. It was the look of a man who’d lost everything that had ever mattered to him. Squaring his shoulders, Gibbs stepped around Ducky and headed over to his second in command and almost-lover. He wasn’t going to lose the Tony he loved because of his questions, and he was certainly going to do his best to bring Annaleigh home for him. The questions could wait until she was safe in her father’s arms. 

“Tony,” he said gruffly when he reached Tony’s side. 

“Boss, you came,” Tony muttered, scrubbing his hands over his face to get rid of the evidence that he’d been crying. “Look Boss, I know how you feel about apologies, but I’m sorry. I’ll explain as soon as I get her home, I just-” Gibbs, who’d been nodding, held up a hand.

“Not here as your boss right now, Tone.” Jethro said quietly, raising an eyebrow. Tony bit his lower lip, and Jethro stepped a little closer and wrapped his arms around him. “What happened?” he asked gently. 

“Someone took my little girl, Jet, they took my baby. The Local LEO’s told me they have evidence that links this to a local BAU case. The fucking FBI unit renowned for tracking down psycho’s and serial killers!” Tony said brokenly, his voice thick with tears, as he melted into Jethro’s embrace. 

“The BAU? Let me make a call, see if they are already on their way. I want to get Abby down here to process the scene if their Unit Chief is okay with that,” Jethro said, tightening his arms around Tony’s shoulders. 

“Playing nice with the FBI for once, Leroy? That’s not like you,” Rossi said, stepping out from behind Jethro into Tony’s line of vision. 

“David,” Gibbs said cautiously, pulling away from Tony. Rossi held his hands out in a placating manner. 

“Aaron is on the phone now with Director Marrow. We are going to invite the rest of your team and Abby in on this.” Gibbs released a heavy breath and nodded. 

“Thanks Dave, I appreciate that.” Jethro said, setting his coffee down and putting a hand on Tony’s shoulder. 

“Agent DiNozzo?” Tony nodded and shook Dave’s hand when the older man offered it. “I’ve heard a lot about you, I just wish we’d met under better circumstances.” 

“Likewise,” Tony said softly. “One of the detectives told me you had evidence linking Annaleigh’s abduction to an open case?” 

Dave opened his mouth to confirm, when a voice cut him off, the man closing his phone and slipping it into his pocket as he spoke. “Dr. Reid and Agent Prentiss are working on verifying that right now, Agent DiNozzo. I’m SSA Aaron Hotchner, I know that this is a very hard time for you right now, and I’m sorry we’re meeting under these circumstances.” Tony nodded in appreciation, and Hotch gave him a small smile. “We’re going to do everything we can to find your daughter and get her back to you.” He added calmly. The stoic man reached out and shook Tony’s hand, and then Gibbs’ as well. 

“I just got off the phone with Director Marrow, Agent Todd is on her way to pick up Miss Scuito and bring her here so they can assist with our investigation.” 

“Thanks, Aaron.” Gibbs said stiffly, tightening his hold on the shaking man beside him. A tall dark haired woman approached them with an evidence bag in her hand, and Gibbs’ posture stiffened protectively. He unconsciously coming between Tony and the newcomer. 

“Don’t thank us yet,” Hotch said solemnly. “This is Special Agent Emily Prentiss,” he added, gesturing to Emily. 

“Agent DiNozzo, I’m very sorry for your loss. We’re doing everything we can to find your daughter. I know this is difficult for you, but I need you to verify that this is Annaleigh,” she muttered apologetically. Emily held out the evidence bag, and Tony reached around Gibbs and took it from her gingerly. Inside the bag was a single Polaroid, and a sheet of white paper with a printed note on it. 

The Polaroid showed Annaleigh sitting under a tree with her hands bound in front of her and a white rag fastened around her mouth to act as a gag. The look of sheer terror on her face was enough to make Tony’s knees buckle, and he let out a choked “yes,” as Gibbs’ arm came around to support him. Gibbs couldn’t take his eyes off the typed note as he held Tony close to his side. 

“’No longer shall the child pay for the Sins of the father. I know your secret, Agent DiNozzo. Yours and Agent Gibbs’.’” Gibbs read aloud, holding Tony a little closer. “What the hell does that mean?” he growled angrily. 

“Leroy, calm down. You need to keep it together right now.” Rossi told him firmly, putting a hand between his shoulders. Gibbs nodded, clenching his jaw, and handed the evidence bag back to Emily. “Agent DiNozzo, this note and ones almost identical to it are the only physical evidence connecting ten child abductions in the area over the past year.” 

“Do you have any other links between the victims or their families?” Tony asked hoarsely, pulling away from Jethro with a whispered, “I’m fine Jet,” when the other man moved to continue supporting him. 

Emily nodded. “Yes, I’m afraid so,” she said heavily, not used to sharing so much information with their victim’s families. “All ten children that have been abducted so far are the children of gay or lesbian parents.” Her eyes flashed and she looked at the ground for a moment, Tony caught the subconscious movement and the breath caught in his throat. 

“There’s more, isn’t there?” he said sharply, reaching blindly behind him for Jethro’s hand. 

Hotch nodded, his face stoic. “We have reason to believe he’s keeping the children alive, but the parents of the first child taken were killed in an apparent home invasion six months after their son was taken. We didn’t make the connection until two months ago, when our UNSUB claimed responsibility in the note he left at the last scene. We’ve placed the rest of the parents in protective custody until we catch this bastard,” he told them calmly. 

“We want your help with this case, but we think it’ll be better if you stay with me or have an Agent you’re comfortable with stay with you until this is solved. We are positive he knows where both of you live, so it won’t be safe for either of you to go home or be alone.” Rossi said quickly, watching Jethro carefully for his reaction. 

Jethro nodded, knowing Rossi was giving him and Tony an alternative to being stuck in a safe house somewhere. 

“Can you give us a full description of Annaleigh, Agent DiNozzo?” Emily asked carefully, gauging Tony’s reaction carefully to see how he was holding up. “Agent Jareau is getting ready to address the reporters that are already here.” 

“Tony, just Tony,” he muttered, turning away from Jethro and Rossi. He looked up at Emily, and his heart sank. “Annie is thirty one and a half pounds, three feet two inches, wears a size 3T clothes, and a size eight shoe. She has green eyes, curly dark brown hair that comes down to the middle of her back. She was wearing it in pig tail braids today. She’s missing her right incisor from a fall, has a one inch scar under her chin from that same fall, and a birthmark shaped like a heart behind her left ear.” Tony closed and opened his mouth, floundering for words that just wouldn’t come. He turned into Jethro’s outstretched arms again, and shook his head. 

“I think that’s enough for now,” Gibbs said firmly, glaring at Emily. He had to give credit to the young woman, she held her ground and glared right back. 

“I think he’s right, Princess.” David said hesitantly, not wanting to cause dissention between the NCIS agents and his team already. Emily rolled her eyes at Rossi and nodded. 

“I think this is enough for JJ anyway,” she told them, spinning on her heel and walking toward the media liaison standing a few feet away. 

“Agents?” All four men looked over to see a female LEO had approached them, escorting a young mother bouncing a screaming toddler on each hip. 

“Yes, Detective?” Hotch and Rossi stepped between the NCIS agents and the Detective. 

“This is Carissa Ross, she may have seen our suspect as he was leaving.” The detective told them softly. Carissa was trying to calm her twins, and not paying them any mind as she begged the boys to calm down for a few minutes, so Rossi immediately stepped forward to take one of the boys. He calmed instantly, pulling on Dave’s tie. 

The other twin calmed, and wrapped his arms tightly around his mother, and the young woman sighed in relief. 

“I’m sorry, we’ve missed naptime.” Carissa explained. 

“It’s not a problem,” Rossi muttered, shooting Aaron a pointed look.

“Mrs. Ross,” he started, “Can you tell us exactly what you saw?” 

Carissa nodded, and ran a shaky hand through her hair. “Well I had just finished buckling Troy in, and I was carrying Jacob around to the other side of the van to buckle him in when I saw a man running up to a black SUV with a little girl in his arms. That’s when the first cop car pulled in, and he seemed kind of panicked. He threw that little girl into the backseat, and then tore out of here like a bat out of hell.” Tony pulled his phone from his pocket and lit up the screen to show a picture of him and Annaleigh. 

“Was this her?” He asked hoarsely, holding the phone out to her. Carissa nodded, a frown appearing on her face. 

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered as she clutched her son a little tighter to him. “I can’t even imagine. How’s your wife? I’d be more than happy to sit with her for a little while if you want,” Carissa told him gently.

“My wife is dead,” Tony whispered, bowing his head a little. “She was killed when Annie was two months old.” Carissa bowed her head as well, biting her lip. Gibbs rocked on his heels, wanting to comfort Tony, but not knowing what he could do. 

“Mrs. Ross, is there anything else you can tell us about the man or his vehicle? Every little detail, no matter how insignificant it seemed at the time could help us find him and bring Annaleigh home.” Rossi told her seriously. 

“He was about the same height as my husband, around six foot even. Looked like he weighed around 250 pounds. He looked military almost.” 

“Why do you say that?” Gibbs asked sharply. 

“Well,” Carissa stared, biting her lip to find the words. “Both of you are former Military, right? Marine Corps if I had to wager a guess. My husband is in the Corps, and there was just something about him that made me think he is or was in the military. He had red hair, high and tight, but looked like he’d missed a haircut. I didn’t see his face.”

Gibbs and Rossi nodded appreciatively. “Did you notice anything about his vehicle?” 

Carissa nodded again, a determined look on her face. “It was a black Ford explorer, and the first four of his license plate were A-C-F-8.”


	4. Kate's Insight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Sometimes Ducky lets Annaleigh play on the park while he sits on the front porch with Mrs. Mallard,” Tony breathed, getting up and coming to stand in front of the plasma next to Jethro. “He walks her across the street, and then watches her play. Mrs. Mallard likes to watch Annaleigh play on the playground, but she’s not always comfortable sitting there around all the other kids and their parents.”
> 
> “The parking lot is on the opposite side of the park. It would have taken Ducky longer to cross the street, search the playground, and call 9-1-1.” Kate finally said. “He thought he’d have longer to get away. I don’t think he’s been stalking you long, Tony. Long enough to see you with Gibbs, and then maybe followed you to see you dropping Annaleigh off at Ducky’s, or followed Ducky when he saw Annaleigh with him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guy's, I'm so sorry for the long wait. Shortly after I posted the last chapter, I had to have an unexpected surgery. Between that, and planning my upcoming wedding, I guess I chose a really crappy time to start a new story. Things are going to be all over the place for several months, and I am sorry. I will update when I can, and that's all I can promise. That, and I won't abandon this story. It make take a long time, but I promise I WILL finish it. I hope you enjoy, despite the wait!

Chapter 4 

The scene was just like any other scene either of them had ever been on, if they dissociated themselves from the very obvious difference that this was automatically personal. (How the BAU’s Unit Chief had convinced Marrow to allow them to investigate was beyond them, but neither dark haired woman was going to question it.) Granted, it _was_ strange that Gibbs wasn’t barking out orders as fast as they came to him, and okay, so it was a little strange that he had at least a hand on Tony on all times, but they couldn’t blame him, Tony looked like he was going to bolt.

 

Kate pushed her hair off her face and took a deep breath, unprepared for the tightness in her own chest at seeing Tony looking so broken. Abby sniffled, and dropped her bag beside them, launching herself at Gibbs and Tony as soon as she was within catching distance. Gibbs intervened, catching the enthusiastic woman before she collided with Tony, who was talking to a pretty blonde woman that Kate vaguely recalled seeing on CNN more times than she could count.

 

“So that’s Abby Sciuto, I’m guessing?” A deep voice at Kate’s right startled her, and she turned to see a light skinned man with a serious expression on his face that didn’t really match his kind eyes, a shaved head, a Kevlar FBI vest, and a badge that identified him as being  a member of the illustrious BAU.

 

“Mhmm, our resident energizer bunny, an oxymoron, contradiction, and the only person in the world who can kill someone and leave no forensic evidence all rolled into one little package. And you are?” Kate pushed her hair off her face again, pulling it up into a pony tail this time. The man smiled genuinely at her, and she noted that his smile matched his eyes much better than the serious look she’d seen on him moments before.

 

“SSA Derek Morgan, BAU, and you’re Agent Todd, right?” Morgan held a hand out to her as he introduced himself.

 

Kate takes the offered hand with a sad smile. “Yes, can you tell me exactly what happened, and where Abby and I should start processing?”

 

“You don’t want to talk to Tony first?” Derek dropped her hand and raised an eyebrow at her.

 

Kate swallowed, and turned her head just enough to see Gibbs pull Abby and Tony into his arms, Ducky at his side. “Ah, not right now.”

 

*NCIS*SoTF*CM*

 

 _“Supreme Oracle of all Knowing, how can I be of assistance, mere mortal?”_ Rossi smiled and carded his fingers through his longer-than-normal hair.

 

“Hey Kitten, I need you to work some of your magic for me,” he told her lowly, glancing around to make sure he was far enough away from the press.

 

 _“But of course, my Italian Stallion. What do you require of me?”_ Penelope’s voice was too cheery, more forced than usual.

 

“Well, I need you to smile for me first, Garcia. Really smile.” He smirked at the snort on the other end, and glanced back over his shoulder to see Tony, Hotch, Gibbs, and JJ still talking. “We have a lead, Kitten. A real one this time.”

 

The screech that comes through the little plastic device in his hand actually made him pull the phone away from his ear and stare at it blankly. _“Well come out with it Super-Agent! My babies are ready to do your bidding!”_

“A witness saw our UNSUB getting into a black Ford Explorer with Annaleigh DiNozzo. First four of the license plate were A-C-F-8. Look into military records for the past three years, dishonorable discharges, and charges of conduct unbecoming. The witness said he had red hair and was about six feet tall. Put an APB out on the explorer and get back to me.”

 

 _“Garcia out!”_ He heard the clicking of her keyboard before she disconnected the call. Rossi slipped his phone into his pocket and headed back over to the group, where they were discussing the profile, and Abby had Tony wrapped in a monster hug.

 

“I called Garcia,” Rossi explained to Hotch and Gibbs. “She put a BOLO out on the UNSUBs vehicle. She’s running the partial plate now.”

 

“Good, knowing her she’ll have a list of possible matches before lunch.” Hotch commented drily, looking down at his ringing phone. “Excuse me, I have to take this.” He opened it with a terse ‘Hotchner’ and stepped away from the group.

 

Jethro looked at Tony, to make sure he was still distracted with the whirlwind that held him in her arms, and gave Rossi a pointed look that said ‘watch over them’ and took a few steps toward Kate and Morgan.

 

“TODD! Get your ass over here.” The dark haired woman grimaced and hustled over to him.

 

“Boss,” she said hesitantly. Gibbs hated the confusion and hurt on her face, and knew if he was less sure of his place in the grand scheme of things, and in Tony’s life, he would look and feel the same as she did.

 

“It wasn’t because he doesn’t trust you, Kate. None of us knew, only Ducky.” He grunted the words out, uncomfortable with speaking for Tony. “Whatever questions you have for him can wait until we find his daughter and get her home.”

 

Kate nodded, bit her lower lip and then looked over at Tony and back at Gibbs. He huffed and scrubbed his hand over his face.

 

“There’s something else, too. It’s why he was going to take you out to lunch on Monday,” Jethro started. He growled and threw his hands in the air. “Damn it, I’m no good at this shit! Me and Tony, we’re together. It’s the reason Annaleigh was taken.”

 

Kate’s eyes widened, and she gasped. “You’re together?” Gibbs nodded. “But you didn’t know about his daughter either?”

 

Gibbs fought down the urge to snap at her, and nodded. He bit down on his tongue to force back the bitter taste of bile in his mouth and sighed. “I need you to go back to the Yard with Abby. The FBI’s forensic team is dropping the evidence off for her and we have a witness that’s coming in this afternoon to sit down with you to get a sketch done,” he barked, slipping into ‘boss’ mode efficiently and quickly.

 

Kate nodded, “Is the BAU coming by to deliver the profile to our people?” Gibbs nodded and turned on his heel, ending the conversation and dismissing her.

 

*NCIS*SotF*NCIS*SotF*NCIS*

 

Kate handed the sketch of their UNSUB to Hotch, as she came into the bullpen and then sat down on the edge of Tony’s desk. He tried to force a reassuring look onto his face, and failed miserably. Kate sigh, nd put her hand on top of his, patting it gently.

 

“I’m sorry, Tony,” she said softly, looking at him compassionately.

 

“I’m sorry too, Kate. I never should have…” Tony sighed and covered his face with his hands.

 

“We’re ready to deliver the profile, and then get this sketch out!” Hotch stood up on a chair to be heard over the chatter from the entire agency. The MCRT was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for Tony. Gibbs growled when the bullpen didn’t quiet, and climbed onto his desk, whistling as loudly as he could.

 

A hush fell over the bullpen, and Hotch cleared his throat before he began. “We believe our UNSUB to be a Caucasian male, between the ages of thirty and forty, witness description places him at about six foot tall, and two hundred and fifty pounds.”

 

“So far, ten children have been abducted over the past year from DC and the surrounding areas. None of them have gone to the same school, church, or any other family functions. The only connection so far is that the parents are same sex couples,” JJ said firmly, crossing her arms across her chest and leaning against the partition wall by Tony’s desk.

 

“He’s controlled, so far our analysts haven’t been able to pull any evidence from the scenes, so he’s very organized. He’s starting to make mistakes, so either he’s coming up on some self-imposed deadline or he’s beginning to devolve,” Rossi added, looking around at the room full of grim faced agents. “He’s begun killing the parents of his victims. We received a call from him claiming responsibility for what was believed to be a home invasion gone wrong. The victims were the first child’s mothers, they were both stabbed to death.”

 

Kate chewed on the edge of her pen for a moment and then narrowed her brows.

 

“If he’s not killing these kids, but killing their parents, maybe he thinks he’s saving them. A religious idealist? He did use religious wording in his notes, most religions consider Homosexuality a sin.”  

 

“Wouldn’t that make him even more dangerous? Mission driven suspects are often working toward some form of goal, or timeline. If he feels he hasn’t reached his goal by his self-perceived deadline, he may start harming the children,” Balboa spoke up from his desk on the other side of the bullpen wall, looking over it at Kate and tapping his finger against his chin.

 

Hotch and Rossi looked at each other, obviously impressed. It seemed neither of them were particularly used to working with trained investigators outside of their unit that were used to the way a suspect’s brain worked.

 

“It would make him more dangerous,” Emily started, crossing her arms over her chest and staring steadily at Balboa. “We believe he’s devolving. His last abduction was less than a week ago, and to leave a witness behind was sloppy even for him.”

 

Kate sighed, and then her eyes widened. “Tony! Why did you and Annaleigh chose that park today?”

 

Tony straightened in his seat and shrugged. “That’s where Annaleigh usually spends her Saturdays. She wanted to go there.”

 

Jethro caught on to her train of thought quickly, crossing to the plasma and pointing to the crime scene photos. “That’s Ducky’s house, there. You can see it from the playground. When was the last time we actually had a Saturday off?”

 

“It’s been at least two months,” Kate said with a nod. “Maybe more.”

 

“Where are you going with this?” Morgan asked, looking at his team mates before turning and focusing on the MCRT.

 

“Sometimes Ducky lets Annaleigh play on the park while he sits on the front porch with Mrs. Mallard,” Tony breathed, getting up and coming to stand in front of the plasma next to Jethro.  “He walks her across the street, and then watches her play. Mrs. Mallard likes to watch Annaleigh play on the playground, but she’s not always comfortable sitting there around all the other kids and their parents.”

 

“The parking lot is on the opposite side of the park. It would have taken Ducky longer to cross the street, search the playground, and call 9-1-1.” Kate finally said. “He thought he’d have longer to get away. I don’t think he’s been stalking you long, Tony. Long enough to see you with Gibbs, and then maybe followed you to see you dropping Annaleigh off at Ducky’s, or followed Ducky when he saw Annaleigh with him.”

 

“Oh dear,” Ducky said, sinking down into Jethro’s chair and rubbing his chest. “How did I not notice being followed? Or Annaleigh being watched?” An eerie silence settled over the bullpen, as all eyes went to the sketch that Hotch stepped forward and taped to the plasma, next to the picture of the park.

 

The clock was ticking, and until Garcia or Abby had something for them, they were no closer to finding Annaleigh DiNozzo and the other nine missing children as they had been. Tony and Kate looked at each other, and Kate had the horrible feeling that time was running out, for both DiNozzo’s.


	5. Abby, Garcia, and Tim, oh my!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony gasped softly, and tears started to gather in his eyes. "I just want her back, Jethro." Jethro wrapped his arms around the shaking man tightly, pulling him against his own chest.
> 
> "We're going to get her back, babe, I promise," Gibbs whispered, brushing his lips against Tony's temple and rocking him gently. "We'll find her, Tony."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I'm just playing in the sandbox, they don't belong to me. 
> 
> And I am still in desperate need of a beta, until then all mistakes are my own.

Tony slammed his desk drawer closed, his shoulders heaved once, and then he stood and stormed off. Gibbs stood up to follow him, but Rossi out a hand on his friend’s shoulders.

 

"Gibbs you gotta give him time." He said quietly, setting down the case file in his hand and sighing. "I know you want to support him right now, but he needs some time."

 

"You don't know Tony," Gibbs snapped, shrugging Rossi's hand off his shoulder with a huff. "First he loses his wife, now he might lose his kid too? He needs someone."

 

Rossi sighed and crossed his arms over his chest before glancing over at his team and Kate before nodding. "You're a bastard Leroy, you always have been always will be. But this one seems good for you. You better take care of him, keep him close, and don't push him away because of his secrets. They aren't any worse than your own."

 

Gibbs glared at Rossi before turning on his heel and storming off after his second.

 

*NCIS*SotF*CM*

 

"Tony!" Tony looked up from his hands at the sound of his name and then looked back down.

 

"I really would just like to be alone right now, Gibbs." Gibbs stopped, floored at the dead tone to his lover’s voice.

 

"Liar," he said softly. He took a deep breath and then dropped to the floor beside the younger man.

 

"How the fuck would you know?" Tony snapped, turning his head when Gibbs would have looked into his eyes.

 

"Because I know you," he said as he gently took one of Tony's cold hands into his, "and I know how you feel."

 

"You have no idea how I feel!" Tony surged to his feet and snapped.

 

Gibbs mouth twitched and he stood as well, toe to toe with Tony and glared at him. "Yes I damn well do, DiNozzo! As parents we do what we feel is best for our children, and most of the time our children grow to be successful adults and life moves on.

 

"Sometimes though, despite our best intentions, life changes irrevocably in a single moment. You still have a chance to stop that from happening Tony, I don't. You still have time. I couldn't save my little girl, but we can save yours."

 

Tony gasped softly, and tears started to gather in his eyes. "I just want her back, Jethro." Jethro wrapped his arms around the shaking man tightly, pulling him against his own chest.

 

"We're going to get her back, babe, I promise," Gibbs whispered, brushing his lips against Tony's temple and rocking him gently. "We'll find her, Tony."

 

*NCIS*SotF*CM*

Abby sat down heavily in her chair and shoved away from her desk with enough force to send herself rolling across the lab. Her world was tilting on its axle and she no idea how to make things right.

 

Tony had a daughter she didn’t know about. (Which didn’t make any sense, because she thought he told her everything.)

 

Gibbs wasn’t taking charge in this investigation.

 

He was being overly protective of Tony, even growling at her.

 

Tony seemed like he was folding in on himself, like he was going to break at the slightest touch.

 

Kate was doubting her place within their little family.

 

Even the Depache Mode blaring through the speakers of her little Bose sound system wasn’t offering her any of its usual comfort. Sighing heavily, Abby pulled on gloves and picked up the note that the FBI had bagged at the scene.

 

“’No longer shall the child pay for the Sins of the father. I know your secret, Agent DiNozzo. Yours and Agent Gibbs’.’” She read the words aloud to herself several times, eyebrows furrowed thoughtfully. “What have you left behind of yourself, you hinky bastard?” she mused, setting it down and picking up the photo of Annaleigh. She was a beautiful little girl, even in her fear. She looked so much like Tony, Abby thought, there was no doubt that she was a DiNozzo.

 

“If he left anything behind, you’ll be the one to find it, mistress of the dark.” Abby stifled the scream that threatened to bubble up her throat and turned to face the voice coming from behind her.

 

A smiling Penelope Garcia waved back at her from her computer monitor, and Abby managed a genuine smile for her longtime friend and fellow hacker. During their years before NCIS and the FBI, she and Penelope had run in the same circle of hackers. They’d lost contact when Abby accepted her job at NCIS, but Penelope had found her the instant she’d accepted Hotch’s job offer. The two woman were often inseparable in their free time.

 

“Penny!” Abby squealed, jumping off her chair and practically skipping over to her computer waving frantically. 

 

“Hey Abs!” Penelope forced a smile for her friend, trying to ignore the lack of information in front of her. “How is everyone holding up?” she asked kindly, chewing on the end of her pen with a worried look in her eyes.

 

“Not so great, Penny. Tony looks like he’s going to fall to pieces, your super agents are madder than I’ve ever seen them, and Gibbs growled at me! He _growled_ at me, Pen!!” Abby angrily blew a strand of hair out of her face in a huff and slumped back into her chair. “Tell me you got something on the bolo?”

 

“Not yet, Abby, but I’m still looking. So far I have a list of vehicles matching the description of our UNSUB’s getaway vehicle but none of the owners match the description of the UNSUB himself.” Penny scowled and blew her hair out of her face.

 

“Damn it,” Abby slammed her drink down and her fingers flew across the keyboard. “I’ve emailed our sometimes team member and asked him to come help me process the evidence from the case. He should be here any minute.”

 

“He’s here now,” Tim said quietly from her doorway.

 

“Well, what are you waiting for Timmy, get in here!” Abby jumped up and dragged McGee over to her computer and gestured to Garcia. “Penny, McGee, McGee, Penny.”

 

“Nice to meet you, Penny. Can you send me the list of vehicles that match the bolo? I can start running their families and see if maybe our guy is related to any of them.”

 

Garcia nodded, and they could hear her fingers tapping away at her keyboard. “I sent you half the list, it’ll go along a lot faster if we split it up.”

 

Tim nodded and nudged Abby out of the way, pulling the list up on another computer screen. Abby pointed to the third name down from the top of the list, “Check that name first. Both of you.”

 

“What’s the name?” Garcia asked, as Tim was busy typing it in and running the woman’s back ground.

 

“Rachel Fornell. Sister of Tobias Fornell, mother of twin girls, Olivia and Victoria, wife to Staff Sergeant Mitchell Dalton.”

 

“I can’t find anything on her since March of last year. Oh, oh no,” Garcia paused. “She was leaving her husband, she filed a restraining order against him, and then she dropped off the face of the earth.”

 

“It’s him!” Abby said in disbelief, pulling up Mitchell Dalton’s service record. A photo matching the sketch came up on the big screen in her lab. She snatched the phone off the table and quickly punched in Gibbs’ number.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so, so, so sorry for the slowness in updates. I have no excuse other than the fact that real life grabbed hold of my muse and wouldn't let her go. Three surgeries, a wedding, honeymoon, and two birthdays later and the newest chapter is finally here!!!


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